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Category Archives: Consumer affairs
Think metric – don’t convert
The editor remembers this slogan from his time in the UK construction industry in the early 1970’s. Almost half a century later, Ronnie Cohen gives real-world examples of metric quantities that may help those who are not as familiar with … Continue reading
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Uncategorized
Tagged conversion, imperial, measurement units, metric, metrication, thnk metric
6 Comments
Is perfect the enemy of good?
Recent experience in France and Greece and a comment last week by Charlie P on this site has prompted us to ask if it would be better if supporters of metric measures were less pedantic. Likes(14)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Media
Tagged measurement units, metric, perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good, SI
13 Comments
The new £50 note
It was announced today that the new polymer £50 note will celebrate the UK’s achievements in science, and will feature a prominent British scientist. Nominations from the public are invited. Likes(9)Dislikes(0)
Style guide revisited
The Measurements units style guide, published by UKMA in 2012, is now available on line with an index. In this article, we outline the purpose of the Guide and note recent enhancements. Likes(14)Dislikes(9)
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General, Media
Tagged Education, measurement units, metric, style-guide
21 Comments
Vehicle fuel consumption – another muddle
We look at vehicle fuel and energy consumption, and put some questions to owners of hybrid cars. Likes(14)Dislikes(7)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Technical, Transport
Tagged energy, fuel consumption, hybrid cars, L/100 km, mpg
12 Comments
Isolationist or Imperialist?
On the eve of a showdown Cabinet meeting on Brexit, one of our frequent contributors, Ronnie Cohen, asks if British attitudes both to the EU and to this country’s metric changeover are part of the same mindset. Likes(20)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Technical, Views from abroad
Tagged cakeism, EEC, EU, imperial, isolationist, metric
6 Comments
Energy units – muddle in the making?
It was decided early in the 1990s that the unit for pricing of domestic gas should change from the therm to the kilowatt hour, which is a metric unit but not SI. We ask if this made ‘metric sense’. Likes(20)Dislikes(1)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, History, Science
Tagged electricity prices, energy, gas prices, joule, kWh, therm
1 Comment
Remembering a tenacious campaigner
It is with sadness we report that Anne Attlee, leader of the Metric Sense Campaign for almost forty years, passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on 31 May 2018. Likes(17)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, General
Tagged Anne Attlee, cm, metric changeover, Metric Sense campaign, mm
12 Comments
Carry on muddling
In these uncertain times, politicians are often keen to point out areas where Britain leads the world. We have a suggestion: creating a measurement muddle. Examples follow. Likes(24)Dislikes(0)
Posted in Consumer affairs, General, Media
Tagged acre, imperial measures, measurement muddle, metric
25 Comments
Ignorance is bliss, or perhaps not
One of our regular contributors, Jake, has drawn our attention to a story that recently appeared on the BBC web site. Likes(24)Dislikes(6)
Posted in Consumer affairs, Education, Health
Tagged alcohol, centilitre, communication, litre, NHS, unit of alcohol
3 Comments